To Be An Examiner
by Matatabi-chan
Summary: Shikamaru and Temari are helping during the first chunin exams after the war.


Shikamaru groaned as he sat in the Jonin station. It had been a year since the war and life was just starting to get back on track. Tsunade had healed and was back in the Hokage seat, training Naruto. She had worked things out and this would be the first chunin exam since the war. Along with the agreements from the other nations Shikamaru, Temari and Tenten were picked to become examiners. Tomorrow was the first day of the exams and Shikamaru wasn't thrilled about having to do so much work. It didn't take long for Temari to show up and sit beside him with a tablet in her hands.

"I guess it is possible for you to be awake before noon." She laughed. "I figured I would try to set something up and let you sleep in a bit." She gave a soft smile. After the war the two, like many of their friends, they had told each other how they felt about each other and developed a relationship.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "We better get started. We have to meet with Tenten to make sure everything's set up for the second stage. Naruto and Sakura were supposed to have set a few traps in there too."

"So you seem to be enjoying setting everything up and being an examiner for the chunin exams." She smiled as they stood and started walking towards the new restricted area to meet Tenten. The restricted area, like the rest of the village was rebuilt to closely resemble the village with only slight changes. "This is going to be harder than it was when we were kids. Well for everyone else, it seemed easy enough for my team."

"That's only because you had Gaara wandering around killing everyone." Shikamaru scoffed as Temari just smirked at him. "Although I wouldn't mind if it was more entertaining than our fight." Temari's smirk turned into a glare.

"I could still kick your ass, little boy." Shikamaru couldn't help the smirk that slid across his face. Even dating for a few months, he had known long ago that this woman was going to be much more trouble than she had been before the war. She and his mother had already been getting too close for his comfort, ganging up on him several times, and he knew it was only going to get worse.

Tenten waved with a bright smile, turning away from Naruto and Sakura who, both, denied going out but their friends still saw how much closer the two became every day. "Aren't you supposed to be with the Hokage?" Temari asked Naruto who just grinned.

"He pissed her off and she kicked him out. Now I have to babysit." Sakura answered with a sigh as Naruto chuckled only to be hit on the head by Sakura.

"Sakura-chan." He whined making her roll her eyes before she gave a small smile. "Oh!" He said turning away. "Tenten said you set up traps for the exam." He said looking between Shikamaru and Temari who both nodded. "What did you set?" He asked excitedly.

"That's top secret." Temari said crossing her arms. "Weren't you two supposed to set some too?"

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "Man this is going to be so cool!" He laughed. "Finally I get to see someone else tortured in this thing."

"Really Naruto?" Sakura shook her head watching him chuckle.

"Are you finished with all your traps?" Shikamaru asked making the three nod. "I guess it's our turn."

"This year's going to be pretty hard." Tenten commented.

Shikamaru shrugged. "Yeah well if they can't get passed a few of our traps then they don't deserve to be out in the ranks. We survived Orochimaru's attack, the sound five, we all had our own fights in the forbidden forest and the fight between you guys and Gaara. And that's not even getting into what we had to go through with Pain, and the war."

"If we made it out of all of that, there should be no reason for them not to make it through this obstacle course." Temari agreed.

"I know but still…. They're just kids. We should go a little easy and train them for those kinds of fights." Tenten suggested.

"But enemies won't go easy and let them learn." Naruto said looking more serious. "We learned a lot the hard way. we were thrown into fights and a war when we were about their ages. If they get off easy and run into the enemy they won't know what to do."

"They'll freeze in fear." Sakura said. "Why not send them through a rough patch where we can control things and make sure they won't die."

Tenten gave a small nod and sighed in defeat. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"We better set ours." Temari said looking at Shikamaru who nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow." She waved before she and Shikamaru jumped away to set their traps.

Shikamaru leaned back in his seat. It had been three days since the Genin had gone into the restricted area. It was almost Shikamaru's turn in the final phase. They were just waiting for sunset when the second phase would be called to an end. Temari smirked seeing him look at his watch once again.

"Excited?" She teased him only to be answered with a scoff.

"What's taking so long?" He complained. "It's finally time."

"Don't whine." Temari shifted in her seat to face him with her note pad in her lap. "You should be happy. Not everyone gets offered to be an examiner."

"I'd be happy if they let me go to sleep." He mumbled. "Besides I wasn't offered. Offered implies I had a choice." He said only to get a glare from her.

Suddenly the door to the left opened and Sakura peeked her head out. "You're up, Shikamaru." She told him

"Finally." He said as he stood and slowly walked past her with Temari following, shaking her head as she fell in step beside Sakura as they made their way to the auditorium.

"He can be so impatient."

"You should have seen Naruto." Sakura laughed. "He's been whining and driving Tsunade crazy about phase taking too long and not being entertaining enough."

"Boys."

"You're telling me." The two women laughed as they followed Shikamaru to the others waiting for the Genin. Shikamaru smirked.

"Finally. Maybe this exam wouldn't be so boring after all." He grumbled as the Genin made their way in to stand in lines in front of everyone.


End file.
